Horizon Forbidden West’s Ridiculous Piracy Record on PC Tells Us Exactly Why Sony Is Sticking to Its Strict 2 Year PlayStation Exclusive Rule

Horizon Forbidden West: Complete Edition PC port is exactly why Sony is never going for a same-day single-player AAA release with the PS5.

Horizon Forbidden West’s Ridiculous Piracy Record on PC Tells Us Exactly Why Sony Is Sticking to Its Strict 2 Year PlayStation Exclusive Rule

SUMMARY

  • Horizon Forbidden West: Complete Edition is now available on PC.
  • The group known as FairLight cracked Sony's latest PC port in the first 30 seconds after its release on Steam.
  • Sony will never do a same-day single-player AAA release on PlayStation 5 and PC, and Horizon Forbidden West: Complete Edition is the perfect example.
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Horizon Forbidden West is Guerrilla’s latest entry for Aloy’s journey in a world overthrown by machines. Fans have been captivated by the amazing visuals, rich lore, and complicated combat, making it one of PlayStation’s best exclusives.

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Sony has set its eyes on the PC side of gaming and ported several of its first-party exclusives, and the Complete Edition of Horizon Forbidden West is a perfect example of why it waits a few years before doing so.

Piracy is one of the biggest problems in the entertainment industry. It’s an insult to the talent and skill of the people involved in the development and production; their life’s work is being desecrated and used for less than its value, and Sony is reeling from the effects of its latest port to PC. Horizon Forbidden West: Complete Edition is now available on both the PS5 and PC, but there are always some people who refuse to pay and rather steal, which is an unfortunate ordeal.

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PlayStation’s Horizon Forbidden West: Complete Edition Is Being Pirated

Horizon Forbidden West: Complete Edition features the full base game along with the Burning Shores expansion.
Horizon Forbidden West: Complete Edition features the base game and the Burning Shores expansion.

There’s no angle where piracy can be seen in a positive light. While it’s true that it’s a convenience for those who don’t have the budget to pay full price, this will significantly harm the developers and their future.

It didn’t take the group known as Fairlight a full hour to crack the game and release it to the public free of charge. Developing high-quality triple-A games under the Sony banner is expensive, and it needs every cent to break even. While it would be a pleasant surprise for the normal PC user who’s willing to pay at full price during launch, Sony will lose more than it gains if it does a same-day release with its flagship console.

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Piracy is a crime and plague in the entertainment industry that needs to be stopped, and people need to be less inclined to use pirated software. PlayStation rarely drops the price of its exclusives, so this is a perfect opportunity to dive in and pick it up. Recently, Horizon Forbidden West: Complete Edition went on sale during the PlayStation’s Extended Play Sale along with other games for a good deal.

Sony Knew the Risk of Porting

Sony are well aware of how their library of exclusives are critically acclaimed and are prone to being pirated as soon as they announced PC ports.
Sony is well aware of how its library of exclusives is critically acclaimed and is prone to being pirated as soon as it announces PC ports.

The PS lineup has built the company’s reputation for a quality gaming experience that can solely be played through its flagship consoles; however, it’s no longer interested in limiting or gatekeeping games to those who are not in its ecosystem.

This initiative would introduce its games to a larger audience, and the older titles would create hype and anticipation for future entries, a successful business strategy.

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Piracy is unethical, regardless of the intention of the people using illegal copies. Games are costly to develop, and the price tag is an indication of the amount of entertainment a user can get out of them. What are your thoughts on piracy?

Let us know in the comments below!

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Written by Rouvin Josef Quirimit

Articles Published: 345

Rouvin is deeply fascinated by pop culture media ranging from comics, movies, TV shows and especially video games with a rich narrative.